Michelin said they had acted responsibly, in the interests of safety, and once the problem became evident with Ralf Schumacher's crash in Friday practice there was room for a possible compromise.

Nine of the 10 teams wanted a temporary chicane put in before the slingshot final banked corner to reduce speeds and lessen the huge forces on the rear left tyres.

Champions Ferrari and the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said no.

The governing body offered instead three alternatives: running more slowly through the turn, using a different tyre and picking up a penalty or repeatedly changing a tyre.

Despite several meetings, nobody would compromise and at that point all of Formula One failed.

"Formula One and motor sport fans throughout the World are the losers today. The FIA is now awaiting a report from its observer in Indianapolis before deciding on the next step," said FIA president Max Mosley.

WEAK POSITION

Others saw yet further evidence of the political battle between Mosley and the carmakers, who are threatening their own series from 2008 and are involved with five of the seven teams that did not race on Sunday.

The FIA, which published draft proposals for 2008 regulations last week, has also said it wanted a single tyre supplier in future and Michelin's position will not be strong.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone looked weaker too, with the sport's ruler failing to broker an agreement that might at least have given the fans the entertainment they paid for.